Luggage cover having side and end walls laterally stretchable and longitudinally yieldable



Aug. 29, 1950 1. J. MEYERS 2,520,250

LUGGAGE COVERHAVING SIDE AND END WALLS LATERAL-LY STRETCHABLE AND LONGITUDINALLY YIELDABLE Filed Oct. 12, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I FIG. 2

I 2 A2 I I IRVING JOSEPH MEYERS l. J. MEYERS 2,520,250 LUGGAGE COVER HAVING SIDE AND END WALLS LATERALLY Aug. 29, 1950 QSTRETCHABLE AND LONGITUDINALLY YIELDABLE Filed Oct. 12, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 8

l3 IRVING JOSEPH MEYERS,

Patented Aug. 29, 1950 LUGGAGE COVER HAVING SIDE AND END WALLS LATERALLY STRETCHABLE AND LONGITUDINALLY YIELDABLE.

Irving Joseph Meyers, Richmond, Va Application October 12, 1948,, Serial No. 54,0 9

This invention relates to hand luggage, or the like and more specifically relates to protective covering devices for use with articles of this kind for maintaining exterior surfaces of such articles in good condition as well as providing a neat appearance.

One of thefeatures of this invention is a protective covering for articles of luggage and the like, said covering being elastically expansi-ble to conform with the contour of the article and being easily and quickly removed for cleaning.

,Another feature of the invention is an elastically expansible protective covering for articles of luggage and the like, said covering being provided with a closure of the slide fastener type for quickly and easily removing the covering when desired.

A further feature of the invention relates to a construction by which the slideable fastener mounting is designed tobe extensible and contractible so as to make it possible for the slideable fastener portion of the covering to adjust itself automatically to slight variations in the perimeter of the luggage around which the slideable fastener extends.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear obvious to one skilled in the art after studying the accompanying specification and drawings in which;

Fig. 1 presents an end view of a cover embodying this invention;

, Fig. 2 is a plan view, from which a corner is cut away, and is taken at right angles to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section also taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 but showing a modified form of the cover;

Fig. 6 is a partial cross-section taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 2; v

Fig. 7 is a partial cross-section taken along the line I -1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged and detailed perspective view of a corner of the device with certain portions of the material stretched out of its normal I 7 Claims. (Cl. 19026) planesspacedfrom each other and are joined at right angles along their edges by the back and side surfaces. For convenience, it has been assumed that the back surface of the article In is usually flat and provided with hinge means, and that whereas in the preferred embodiment, as shown, the side surface comprises three flat side and end wall surfaces forming, with the back side, a rectangular enclosure joining the opposing edges of the top and bottom surfaces, the side surface might take a cylindrical form as in the case of a hat box, or similar article, of conventional design. The side surface is usually split along a line co-extensive with the line of the hinge, means, to permit the article to be opened and closed."

The portion of the protective covering which covers the top of the'article is indicated by the reference numeral 12, the portion covering the back surface is shown at I3, and the portion covering the bottom surface at l4. These portions posed of a material which has uni-direction elasticity, such as any suitable one-way stretchable elastic clothof conventional manufacture. The side and end Wall portion I5 is joined to the opposing edges of the top surface i2, and the bottom surface I4, but it is not joined to the edges of the back surface I3. The portion may be joined to the portions I2 and I3 by such means as sewing, and this seam maybe covered by a decorative tape l6 which may also extend in'a continuous length along the edges of the back portion l3; Furthermore, the portion I5 is attached to the top portion I2 and the bottom portion I4 in a manner to permit stretching of the side and end wall portion only in adirection normal to the line of the seam. This permits the covering to adjust itself to changes in shape of anarticle and to conform neatly and snugly to the contour of the enclosed article regardless of Whether it may have its normal shape when empty, .or whether it may be bulging and deformed as a result of being tightly packed. Closure means I! of the slide fastener type have been provided in the side and end wall portion I5, and in the preferred embodiment two such devices,

provided with operating means l8, have been shown extending nearly the entire length of the side and end wall portions l5 to allow handle mal to the direction of elasticity of the material. A suitable opening I9 has also been provided in the side and end wall portion l5 to allow handle ll of the article l.0 to pass through, Qertain of the features above described and: shown have been disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application Serial Number 3,780, filed January 22,

1948 with respect to which this invention is an improvement.

It has been found in the use of -myprior protective covering that, if the side surfaceof the enclosed article, due to being too tightl gpacked, bulged too far outwardly, it was diflicult to operate the slide fastener closure due-to the fact that such a closure is incapable of beingstretched in a longitudinal direction, and no provision was made towr'elieve strains normal to the direction of elasticity. of the side covering portion. In the presentdevice the side portion l 5i has been provided with free unattached end portions 2| whichextend. from the points 20 and 20a in the seams joining portion l5 to portions it and i2 respectivelyyandj is shown in detail in. Figs. 8 and 9. An elastic ineans22, overlying the back portion i3, extends over. at least a portion of the back surface of a'rticle i and joins the free ends 2| in a seam 23. Preferably the means 22 is capable of uni-directional" elasticity and is. similar to the materialilsed in the side and end wall portion l5. However, any suitable elastic material or. device ma be used, the only criterion being that it be stretchable in a, direction at right angles to the direction of elasticity of the side and endwall'portion as the purpose of this part of thecoteringisto permit the side and end wall portion l5 to'ad'just itself to bulges in the side surfaceof the enclosed article and in so doing not to require the closuremeans ll to be put under a longitudinal strain. For purposes of showing. the details. of construction. the seam 23 inFigs. '81 and 9, hasbeen illustrated aspulled out from,behind' the backportion l3,

but it will, be understood that in normal use this. seam will preferably. assumea position as shown in Fig. 7L In efiect this. improved construction provides the. equivalent o'f, a. slideable fastener which is extensibleand, elastically stretchable, I lengthwise.

Fig. 5. showsa modified form of the device in which the resilient meansv 2215 not; joined. directly to the free end por,tions.2l but is. sewed at its ends to pieces ofordinaryfabric orv suitable material 24 by means of seamsf2 6, while other seams similar to seams 23, join the material 2A to the free ends 21.

I claim: I

1. An expansible protective-covering for, snugly enclosingan articleo f luggage, or the like having top, bottom, back,' and side surfaces comprising. substantially. inelastic flexible material for covering the top, back, and bottomisurfacesof, the article, substantially uni-directionally elastic flexible material extending overI the side surface o f the article and joined to opposing edges of the material which coversthetop and bottom surfaces, substantially uni-directionally elastic flexible material extending over at least a portion of the back surface or'the articlegandjoining free ends of the firstemention'edfelastic material, the direction ofexpansion ofsaidflist-mentioned elastic material substantially being at right angles to the direction of expansion 'of'saidsec ond-mentioned elastic material, and slide fastener closure means provided in said covering to permit removal of the article.

2. An expansible protective covering for snugly enclosing an article of luggage or the like having top, bottom, back, and side surfaces, comprising substantially inelastic flexible material for covering the top, back, and, bottom surfaces. of the article, substantially uni-directionally elastic flexible material extending over the side surface of the article and joined to opposing edges of thexmaterial. which covers the top and bottom surfaces, free ends of said elastic material extending overa portion of the back surface of the articleand overlying the inelastic material, substantially uni-directionally elastic flexible mater-ial'extending-overat least a portion of the back surface of, the article and joining said free ends of the first-mentioned elastic material, the direction, of expansion of said first-mentioned elastic material being substantially at right angles to, the direction of expansion ofsaid second mentioned elastic material; and slide-fastener closure means providedin the elasticmaterial covering the side surface of'thearticle.

3. An expansible protective covering for snugly enclosing an article ofluggage or the like'having top, bottom, back and side surfaces,comprising substantially inelastic flexible material for covering the top, back; and bottom surfaces of the article, substantially uni-directionally elastic flexible material extending over the side surface of'the article and joined to opposing edges of" the material which covers the top andbottom surfaces, said elastic material being provided with unattached free end portions, said elastic material being provided with closure meansv of the slide fastener type extending in a direction normal to the direction of elasticity. of said material, the free end' portions ofsaid uni-directionally elastic materialextending over a portion of the back surface of the article andoverlying the inelastic material; elastic flexible material extending over a portion of the backsurface of] the article andjoiningthe free end portions. of

the uni-directionally elastic material,

4; An expansible protective covering. for

snugly enclosing an article of luggage or thelike having top, bOttom back, and sidesurfaces, comprising substantially inelastic flexible material,

for covering the top, back, and bottom surfaces of the article, substantially uni directionally elastic flexible material'extending' over the side surface of the articleand'joinedto opposing edges of the materialwhich covers the top and bot;

tom surfaces, said elastic material being provided with unattached free end portions, saidelastic material being provided with closure means of the slide-fastener typeextending irra direction normal to thedirection.of elasticityof. said material, the freeendportions offsaid'unidirectionally elastic material extending over a, portion of the back surface of the article and overlying the inelastic materiakelastic flexible material'extending overat leasta portionof the,

back surface of the article, andmeansfor join:

ing the free end portions of the uni -direct iorially elastic material to opposite ends of saidelastio material for covering the top, back and bottom surfaces of the article, substantially uni-directionally elastic flexible material extending over the side surface of the article and joined to opposing edges of the material which covers the top and bottom surfaces, said uni-directionally elastic material being provided with closure means of the slide-fastener type extending in a direction normal to the direction of elasticity of said material, elastic, flexible material overlying said inelastic material and extending over a portion of the back surface of the article and joining free end portions of the uni-directionally elastic material.

6. An expansible protective covering for snugly enclosing an article of luggage or the like having top, bottom, back, and side surfaces, comprising substantially inelastic flexible material for covering the top, back, and bottom surfaces of the article, substantially uni-directionally elastic flexible material extending over the side surface of the article and joined to opposing edges of the material which covers the top and bottom surfaces, said uni-directionally elastic material being provided with unattached free end portions, said uni-directionally elastic material being provided with closure means of the slide-fastener type extending in a direction normal to the direction of elasticity of said material,

elastic flexible material overlying said inelastic material and extending over a portion of the back surface of the article, and means for joining the free end portions of the uni-directionally elastic material to opposite ends of said elastic material extending over the back surface of the article, said means including a length of inelastic flexible material.

'7. An expansible protective cover for snugly enclosing an article of luggage or the like, having top, bottom, back and side surfaces, comprising flexible material for covering the top, back and bottom surfaces of the article, elastic flexible material extending over the side surfaces of the article, and stretchable in a direction between top and bottom and joined to opposing adjacent edges of the material which covers the top and bottom surfaces, said elastic material being provided with end portions not attached to each other and located adjacent the bottom surface of the article, said elastic material being provided with closure means of the slidable fastener type extending along the side surfaces of the article and parallel to the adjacent edges of the top and bottom, elastic flexible material overlying said first mentioned flexible material and extending over a portion of the back surface of the article, and having its opposite ends connected to that material on which said slidable fastener is mounted, whereby the position of said slidable fastener with respect to the sides and back of the article is yieldably adjustable.

IRVING JOSEPH MEYERS.

REFERENCES CITED Name Date Thompson Mar. 22, 1892 Number Certificate of Correction Patent N 0. 2,520,250 August 29, 1950 IRVING JOSEPH MEYERS It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 3, line 3, for portions 15 to allow handle read portion in a direction nor;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oifioe. Signed and sealed this 13th day of February, A. D. 1951.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

